Unplanned
by catharticdeficit
Summary: Haruhi wants a child but not a husband. A friend helps and she finds herself in the right house, the right room, the right bed…and the wrong man.WTF!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Unplanned

**Author: **catharticdeficit

**Rating: **T

**Genre: **Humour/Romance/Drama/Angst/Family/Pregnancy Issues Everyone Needs To Know, And Yes, That Includes Males, Too, Because It's All Their Freaking Fault

**Pairing: **Kyoya x Haruhi

**Summary: **Haruhi wants a child but not a husband. A friend helps and she finds herself in the right house, the right room, the right bed…and the wrong man.WTF?!

**Warning**: Lime-ish, but not explicit. Innuendo rears its ugly head here. Tread with caution lest you lose what's left of your innocence.

_Isang malaking pasasalamat sa aking pinakamamahal na beta, **Kalachuchi**, at sa aking mga taga-subaybay sa lahat ng aking kagaguhan na pinapasa bilang mga istorya na walang katuturan. Sana ay ma-enjoy ninyo po ang aking munting kwento. _

_Thanks as well to my other beta, **dark mirth,** because my English sucks and she's awesome at it. _

_To my readers and reviewers, Eyelabshu__!_

**1/?**

Haruhi Fujioka sighed irritably as she punched the keys in her mobile. She was wasting her precious minutes for lunch doing this but it was her last chance. The Ultimate Plan couldn't commence without this person's cooperation.

She hooked the headset in her ear as she grabbed the folder in front of her. She figured she might as well do something productive.

After the first few rings, somebody picked up the phone on the other side.

"Hello! You have reached the wonderful, wonderful Renge-chan's Host Club! This is owner, proprietor, manager Renge-chan! How may I help you?" the overly-excited voice said, practically making Haruhi's ears bleed as she nearly dropped her pen.

"Renge, it's me, Haruhi."

"Haruhi-chan!" Renge exclaimed and the other woman had to wrench the earpiece away lest she become deaf in a matter of minutes. She disconnected the headset from the mobile and turned it to speaker. Her office was soundproof anyway and what would be said next was of the utmost secrecy.

"Are you sure that you're going to go along with this?" said Renge, much quieter.

Haruhi suppressed a sigh. "Yes, I have waited my whole life for this."

"Why not use another way? Like I—"

"I have considered that but it's too time-consuming and expensive," Haruhi interrupted. "I don't have an abundance of either so this is the best available way."

"But, you know, it might not happen that one time. It might take multiple attempts."

"I've taken extra preparations and this is the prime time to do it. If everything blows, then I'll try option B."

"May I ask again why you're so set on this?" asked Renge, defeat in her voice. She knew that once Haruhi had decided on something, it was difficult to dissuade her on any point. That's what made her so successful.

And so horribly blind.

"You know the reason," Haruhi answered shortly. "There's no need to repeat myself."

Renge sighed again. "Fine. The house is available. He'll be waiting there. I guess this is the part where I wish you good luck, eh?"

Haruhi's chest suddenly felt tight. "Yes, that would be helpful. Thank you for everything, Renge."

"You know that there's nothing in this world that could make me say no to you," replied the other. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do."

Haruhi killed the conversation before anything more hurtful could be said. She swivelled her chair to look outside the window behind her desk. The sprawling metropolis that was Tokyo glared back at her—all concrete and glass looking weary and grey against the blinding sun.

Yes, it might not have been the best of ideas, but it was the only option she had.

She faced her desk again and took out a plastic container of tuna pasta.

Her tongue barely registered the taste of her food, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts.

Her time was running short. She had to do this. If she left it too late….

Haruhi shook her head. It wasn't the time to think about that. For now, she had to concentrate on her mission.

She just prayed to God that none of the boys at the now-defunct Host Club would hear of this. If they did, the ramifications would have been too much for her to handle given her current condition. Plus, what quiet she had left in her life would be snuffed out faster than a candle on a windy day.

The original Host Club at Ouran more or less parted ways after high school, though they tried their best to keep in touch. Haruhi couldn't be bothered; she was more focused in her studies as a future lawyer. Tamaki, Kyoya, Honey, Mori, Hikaru, and Kaoru usually had to force their way in to her dormitories at the university and drag her away to even have a few precious minutes with her. But even that seldom happened as they also had a duty to uphold their familial duties.

Adulthood, however, became the new reason for them to invade her life again. They never realized that now Haruhi has secured the profession of her dreams, it would mean that she had to clock up a lot of overtime to even reach the point her mother had achieved before her.

Haruhi knew that they cared--more than what was actually healthy for their relationship, but this was something she could not permit them to interfere in. She didn't know if she could forgive them if it all went wrong because of what they did.

Or if she could forgive herself.

Haruhi shuddered at the thought. No, everything had to go out _exactly_ as planned. Cliché as it sounded, failure was not an option this time. This chance took precedence above everything else that happened in her life--hell, it would _become_ her life if it all went smoothly.

She picked up her phone and gave her secretary careful instructions. Haruhi was scheduled to go to Karuizawa by train at five that afternoon, therefore any meetings scheduled between five to seven the next morning were to be cancelled. When the secretary gave a sharp affirmation, she rifled through her bag, checking if she forgot anything for the fifth time that hour. Yes, she was that nervous.

Haruhi frowned, standing up for a short stretch. This trip didn't really require her having anything—having nothing was actually the game plan.

She checked her watch. She had three more hours before the Plan would commence.

She pulled out a bulging folder from its perch on the overcrowded bookshelf.

Her clients had had a minor disagreement with their landlord and were seeing if they could sue.

Absorbed in her work, Haruhi relaxed, her previous nervousness dissipating.

--

The train trip to Karuizawa proved to be two things: long and boring.

Haruhi was not used to inactivity for extended periods of time. Since she could remember, she was always doing something, either trying to escape her friends' inanities (which she felt she'd been doing her whole life, though in truth, just a mere half or so) or working for school or the firm. She had left her precious BlackBerry at her office; it was the only device that could connect her to anyone, and it was a rarely used number that no one except her secretary knew. It served only one purpose: to ensure her privacy when it was most needed. It had only been used once, when Haruhi was having a mental and physical breakdown from the sheer amount of her work. Her secretary gave her the slim model, saying that she needed a rest that was away from anything that concerned her work. If she was needed in an emergency, she would be called, but other than that, she shouldn't be bothered—he would make sure of that, he promised.

Haruhi smiled, leaning back in her seat more comfortably. Takeshi was heaven-sent, as far as Haruhi was concerned. He was the tall, dark half-Italian who was the wet dream of every female staff in the firm. Takeshi was the perfect secretary, getting her to meetings on time without her looking as if a cat had dragged her, eaten her, and then spit her back up again, as she was prone to look after sleeping on her desk, using her keyboard as a pillow, saliva drooling down her chin. He was the one who took care of everything for her, including the upkeep of her apartment even if she didn't ask him to. He would have been the best candidate for what she was about to do (as his employer, she was privy to even his medical records, which was more or less spotless except for a minor snowboarding accident in France).

Haruhi chuckled at nothing, eliciting curious looks from the other passengers.

Yes, he would have been the perfect person for this job. Hell, if she had asked, he would have done it without any qualms.

Too bad he was gay, though.

Closing her eyes, Haruhi tried to sleep. She was going to have a long day—or rather, night—ahead of her.

--

Haruhi stared at the building, then back at the piece of paper in her hands, and finally at the house again.

_This can't be right…_ But this is the right address. It just looked different from before.

It was a modest house, not exactly as grand as befitted the area, but it had a comfortable, homey feel to it. It was in a smaller complex well away from the main thoroughfare of the famous tourist city, and was the ideal summer home for any upper middle class family. Beside it were other houses, just as newly constructed as the one Haruhi was currently gazing at. Some were still incomplete, the lawns piled up with gravel and other construction paraphernalia scattered about.

But this house was special. According to Renge, whose father owned the complex, the house was fully furnished already. It was to act as a model for the people who wanted to take a look around and maybe in the end, be persuaded to buy their own property from the company.

Trapped in her musings, Haruhi didn't notice as the first drops of rain fell, wetting her cheeks.

_Shit! _

She ran to the house, digging into her purse for the keys Renge had given her days ago.

The first rumble of thunder came as soon as she closed the door. The house was dark inside and she groped around for the light switch. Finding it, she flipped it on, casting the room in relief.

It looked normal enough: an entertainment system in the corner, soft upholstery, polished surfaces…add a couple of doilies on the couch, two dozen cats, and the smell of cabbages and you have the house of an eighty-year-old spinster.

Haruhi basically ignored the décor, her mind on more important things. She had seen the house before, when Renge had insisted that the original Host Club see the new project that her family was developing. The boys made a mess of themselves, thoroughly enjoying the experience. Needless to say, the house, which had been scheduled to be shown to the general public the next day, was in great need of total refurbishing.

Haruhi was walking down the hallway to the last door on the right, when the lights went out. It was a power surge, as was common to happen during thunderstorms. Haruhi shuddered as she heard the thunder crack again. She had never gotten over her fear of lightning and thunder, though she had kept herself in check. Her phobia had gotten her in so much trouble, namely cowering in fear under a desk while the team was going over a litigation. She had taken the time to go to a psychiatrist, even a quack hypnotist, anything to curb her fear. It wasn't completely conquered as she would have liked, but at least she could—

Another bang, followed by a streak of light across the dark sky, appeared outside the window.

Haruhi yelped, hastening her steps. She fumbled blindly, her fingers lightly touching the walls as she walked so she could find her way. Reaching the last door, Haruhi noticed that the sky was becoming angrier as it delivered more and more bangs and strikes.

Illuminated by the thunder, Haruhi saw a lump on the bed, and far from calming her, it made her panic even more. Before she realized it, tears were forming in her eyes, blurring her vision and sending wet drips down her flushed cheeks.

Why couldn't everything in her life be plain and simple? She resisted the urge to break down and sob her eyes out. Yes, she wanted to do that. It had been a while since she had really done that: cry as much as she could without any qualms over it.

But the Ultimate Plan came first. This was her future, damn it! She had to follow through. She had planned her life as carefully as she would plan a contract.

She quickly undressed, shivering as the cold air hit her sensitive skin. She approached the bed cautiously, lifting the duvet to make sure that there was a person there and she wasn't about to do the nasty with a pillow.

Her eyes were getting used to the darkness, making her see the faint silhouette of a person dozing lightly. He or she was on their side, obscuring their face from Haruhi. But it was fine. It was the way she wanted it. Best to keep it all unknown, she reasoned. Get in, get what she wanted, then get the hell out. It was as simple as that.

Not.

Haruhi sighed, climbing on the bed before facing the back of the person beside her.

Tentatively, she let a finger trail down the smooth, exposed back of her 'companion'.

Yup, definitely male.

She took a deep breath and scooted closer, having an internal battle whether to suck it up and do it or to throw her clothes back on and pretend for the rest of her _life_ that she was about to do this.

But a face swam before her eyes, and stiffened her resolve.

She buried her tear-stained face in-between his shoulder blades as a fresh wave of tears threatened to push out of her eyeballs.

She felt the man stir, then look blearily around him, finally focusing his gaze on her.

"Please take me," she sobbed, her emotions as raw as a fresh wound.

She needed release. The Plan could wait.

--

Kyoya stared around the dark room, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light. Where was he again?

He closed his eyes again, trying to concentrate for a few seconds and let his brain process the information. The greatest weakness of his brain was that it always took a moment to restart when he wakes up. It was his Ultimate Secret, once that he would carry to his grave. Other people might take advantage of it and the repercussions….

Oh, the repercussions!

He liked having his Ootori pride, thank you very much.

He was in a soft bed, under a thick duvet, half-naked, with a pounding headache.

Okay, that narrowed things down.

He racked his brains one more time.

Then the memories came flooding in at a rate of three gigabytes per second.

Earlier that afternoon, there was a mishap with one of the numbers the stock analysts presented him, making him lose quite a large amount in the stock market—around ten million yen. Normally, he wouldn't bat an eyelash at it since it was to be expected in this world: you have losses, and you have gains. But it was one of those days.

The days when all poor souls who even looked him in the eye were promised a slow, painful death that made one think of chains, a mace, and a mix CD of the Weather

Girls, Cher, The Village people, Kylie Minogue, and present Madonna playing on a loop in the background while your mother-in-law nagged your ear off.

It was any heterosexual male's worst nightmare.

As for the punishment for the homosexuals and the females…. Let's not get into that right now or the rating for this story would go to triple x.

Anyway, Kyoya was pissed, and quite rightly so. The morning had found him bombarded with e-mails and calls from his ex-girlfriend, the British heiress bird he had picked up while on holiday in England. He had meant it to be a short affair…that had ended a year ago when he left. But no, she was calling, demanding that they see each other again and all that crap, and that she was flying to Japan to see him.

If there was one thing Kyoya hated in a woman, it was clinginess. And she was proving her clinginess with every passing second.

So, showing his disappointment at his team of analysts by frightening them within an inch of their lives and their bladders, Kyoya still wasn't satisfied but he didn't want to fire anybody. It was a trick he had learned to gain his employees' trust and loyalty. If they mess up, give them the punishment they are due, but never fire them. Always give them a second or a third chance if necessary and you will see the meaning of production. It was almost a fool-proof way to manage about it all. Kyoya had rarely fired anybody before, and only in the direst of circumstances.

What he didn't know was that the reason why so many chose to follow him for the rest of their lives was his sheer animal magnetism. Really, who wouldn't want to see his handsome face every morning as he walked with his earpiece on while he tapped away on a BlackBerry? Some were fortunate enough to earn a smile or a nod from him, eliciting gasps and fainting episodes. Kyoya didn't realize when he read the reports and there was an additional need for doctors and nurses in the employees' infirmaries that it was his fault; he just thought that there was an epidemic going around.

Kyoya, annoyed and irritated beyond compare, wanted to escape, especially when Anne called, saying that she was already in Narita airport and that she expected him to pick her up.

_Like hell_, Kyoya thought. He thought of possible places he could escape to and came up with none. Anne would be most likely to find him there.

Then he thought of Renge and the new properties her family was building. Yes, there was that model house, all ready for the taking. It wouldn't be a bad idea to stay there a couple of days, doing all his business through the magical world of fibre optics. Yes, it was troublesome but plausible. Hell, if in the end he managed to escape Anne, he'd buy the property himself.

Renge was more than willing to let him use it but she was saying something about his being in the way. He cut her off before she could say anything else, and sped off. His voicemail had already intercepted Anne's whiny call, asking why he still wasn't at the airport to pick her up.

Kyoya had a key to the house—he was the only person in the now-defunct Host Club to have one. Renge didn't trust the others not to trash it mercilessly, but Kyoya had been granted one in the hopes that he could persuade some of his clients to invest in the real estate.

He arrived at the house via his private helicopter. He considered going to his family's vacation home in the area instead but the idea was dismissed. Anne was crafty when it came to locating him. As if she had a Kyoya radar.

The house wasn't bad in itself. After having one of his men go for a short grocery trip and making sure that he bought enough for a few days' stay, Kyoya settled in. It was comfortable to a certain degree. Not exactly a luxury hotel yet his personal safety was the more pressing issue.

He had fallen asleep after a nice hot shower, conking out as soon as his head hit the pillow. He had only managed to catch three hours of sleep the night before and the fatigue was getting to him. In a way, Anne's unwelcome intrusion back into his life was proving to be a blessing in disguise.

Or not.

"What the hell?" was the first thought that came to him when he felt those wet pools in his back. Then he realized that someone else was pressed against him--the source of wetness…and delicious warmth, he couldn't deny that. It was a woman, if the breasts pressing into him were enough indication.

_Please take me. _Another 'What the fuck?!' is in order.

Full consciousness hit him like a ton of bricks. It must be the twins' doing again. They were always saying that he was too uptight and needed some form of release. It wasn't the first time they had sent a woman to him. God, he didn't know that he could incur that many lawsuits in so short a time. Thankfully, it was all settled, and the twins had paid dearly—lawyers' bills included. They promised that they weren't going to do something so stupid again.

Promises are made to be broken, anyway.

But it wasn't like Kyoya really needed to loosen up at all. The business came first always. He didn't have time to fool around. Being told that he needed a woman to warm him, especially by someone who preferred men on his bed (somewhere, Kaoru shivered unpleasantly in his boyfriend's arms), was just icing on the cake.

This girl was different, though. The first woman they brought to him didn't act like this. Hell, the moment she saw him walk through the door, she told him to strip and hop in the bed. She was halfway through listing the extras (spanking, handcuffs, role-playing, cosplay, S&M, etc.) before he had her thrown out.

This girl was crying, asking to be taken, as if it would… alleviate something in her.

What, he didn't know.

He turned to her, not seeing her face due to the darkness.

"Who are you?" he rasped. Was that his voice?

"No one you need to know," she hiccupped. "Just please, please…."

"Please what?" Her voice sounded strangely familiar but he couldn't place it. Ah, well.

"I need you."

That clinched it. Throwing caution to the wind, and the duvet to the floor, Kyoya crouched over her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. All he saw was a soft outline.

"Well, _I_ need to _see _you," he breathed, his face nearing hers—at lease he hoped so.

"No," she protested a bit too strongly. "You don't need to know who I am. Just as I don't need to know who you are. Besides, the power's shorted out. A fuse must have blown."

"So, that means you just want to screw and be screwed, and that's that?" he asked, his teeth nipping little marks on her throat. He didn't really care. Maybe Hikaru and Kaoru were onto something; maybe he really _did_ need to get laid. And here was a girl who was offering that with no strings attached.

He could hear her grit her teeth as she tried to forcefully yank him away. Kyoya smirked as she grabbed his hair, pulling him away from her body.

"I change my mind, you prick. I don't need this," she growled out. "I'm going somewhere else."

"Where?" he said, trapping her in his arms. God, she smelled so good. How long had it been since he'd held a woman like this? Forever, it seemed. "There's a storm outside, and it's not safe for a young lady like you to be wandering about. Stay; I promise I won't be a prick anymore."

She seemed to soften a bit, and Kyoya felt her face with his thumb to locate and capture her lips with his. She tasted even better than she smelled. She tasted of strawberries and her scent was the heady mixture of jasmine and musk. Wherever Hikaru and Kaoru had gotten her must have been somewhere high class. She might've been an heiress, wanting to have a fun time while still young. He had encountered her kind before. At the least she was a bored co-ed the twins had managed to coerce into a convoluted plan to seduce him. Whatever it was, it was working. He was more worked up than he could ever remember being and the relief this girl would bring him would be more than enough to sate him for a while.

He felt her respond to the kiss hesitantly, as if unsure of what to do.

_Virginal act, eh? I like that._

And in the midst of passion, neither of them became aware of anything anymore.

--

Renge sat in her office at Renge-chan's Host Club. She had opened it after graduating from business school, loving nothing more than to have her very own Host Club. The boys didn't mind, and gave her their blessing. It wasn't one of those low-class escort services one found in the red light district of Tokyo. No, it was a high-end establishment that only catered to the rich and famous. All of the escorts (both male and female) were from well-to-do families themselves, wanting to do something—anything—with their free time. Before hiring anyone, she put them under the most extensive physical and mental exams, courtesy of the Ootori hospitals, to ensure the 'happiness' of their clients without the danger of any illnesses and such that came with the profession.

Her father wasn't happy about the type of business his daughter wanted to manage but he couldn't control her when she was young and certainly couldn't control her now. He just found some investors for her. The only good thing he could say about it was it was highly profitable, with annual turnovers reaching into the millions.

Renge was old enough to know that being arm candy for a night or two wasn't the only thing her employees offered, though it's what was officially stated in their contracts. But those 'extras' were at the own volition of the employees. The Club only got paid on the stated hours as asked by the client. Extended hours were at the escorts' own discretion.

So when Haruhi came to her asking for help, Renge hesitated. Haruhi knew what the escorts were doing for extras, and she said it was what she needed. Additionally, it was safe. It took a lot of bribing and coercing on Haruhi's part for Renge to agree. Worried for her friend, Renge had asked her best to do it.

Toushiro was tall, handsome, and most of all, genetically perfect. He had no illnesses, was fit and healthy, went to the gym twice a week, and had no history of any hereditary diseases, except heart disease. But really, what family doesn't have a history of heart diseases?

She had talked to him, and he had agreed. Of course, Renge avoided mentioning Haruhi's true motive and just said that there was a client who wanted some 'hands-on' experience. Apparently, she was to be married soon but was anxious about pleasing her husband, especially on their wedding night and insisted on some instruction. He didn't mind jobs like this; he got them a lot. It was part of the business. He had received stranger requests. Jobs like this were his favourite: he'd rather teach a young wife-to-be how to please another man than service a bored fifty-year-old wife of a businessman. His boyfriend wasn't happy about his job, but he couldn't do anything about it. The money was too good.

So it was a surprise to Renge when Toushiro called that night. His boyfriend had come back from a month-long trip from Africa and was only allowed three days in Japan before being shipped again to some other country. He had apologized profusely, asking if the girl was waiting for him.

Then it hit her. Haruhi! Kyoya!

_Shit! _

She called Haruhi's mobile but all she got was a busy signal. She tried her office; the secretary told her that she was away and did not wish to be interrupted anytime soon.

Renge put down the phone, calmly flicking through her magazine once again.

A huge grin appeared on her lips. This should be interesting.

It was time that the two finally got what they wanted.

A blessing in disguise, that's what it was.

--

"Are you a virgin?" Kyoya asked as he felt the girl tense below him.

She gulped audibly, asking, "Will it hurt?"

Kyoya shook his head, rolling to his side. He had never had a virgin in his bed before. He knew that it would hurt, and he didn't want to hurt her. He voiced this and the girl grew furious again.

"No way, mister," she barked, hovering above him. If he could see her face, he would have been terrified at her expression. "We've gone this far. You're not backing out. Now, just shut up and have me. I can take it. I'm a big girl."

Kyoya laughed. The girl seemed stricken for a moment, evidenced by the way she stopped gnashing her teeth at him.

He pulled her face close to his.

"Well, if you say so, who am I to argue?" he said, before kissing her again.

--

Haruhi basked in the afterglow, trying to regain her breathing. It was more than she had bargained for, but then again, he was probably used to things like this.

She moved to stand up, wanting to leave immediately.

"Where are you going?" he said softly, grabbing her arm.

"My business here is done," she replied shortly, attempting to peel off his fingers and failing.

He wouldn't let go. "I need to go home."

She could sense him grinning as he said, "Well, mine's not done yet," and pinned her back on the bed.

--

The storm was over when they both gave up. It was delicious, sure, but hey, rest is also vital.

So, tired and spent, Haruhi didn't even mind when he pulled her into his arms, wanting a post-coital cuddle. She didn't really care and was too exhausted to protest.

Thankfully, her body had gotten used to two-hour naps throughout the day to make up for the prescribed seven hours of sleep that she often failed to get. With a jolt, she jerked awake, finding herself in unfamiliar territory, and, more importantly, in an unfamiliar bed. The storm had passed, and soft sunlight was filtering through tiny gaps in the thick curtains, indicating sunrise.

Smiling slightly, she remembered the night before. It was wonderful. She never knew that she could react that way. He really was a pro.

She turned to him, at least wanting to know the face of her baby's father (if there was a baby created that night), to know what her child would look like, if he looked like him. It didn't matter, not in the least, but she was just curious.

She didn't know whether to scream or faint. Was it possible to do both at the same time?

Kyoya Ootori, bane of her existence, was in front of her, his arms around her, snuggling with her. Kyoya Ootori didn't _snuggle_! Kyoya Ootori didn't just have a one-night-stand with her, did he?! Kyoya Ootori would not become the father of her baby, would he?

_Aw, damn, it really happened, didn't it? _

Of course not, Haruhi rationalized, biting her knuckles in an effort to not yell and wake up her _bed mate_.

_He must not have known it was me or he wouldn't have done that. It was too dark; hell, I didn't know that it was him. Shit, shit, shit. _This was a big mess.

She tried to move away from him but he just held her closer. She stayed still, and then carefully removed his arms from around her.

When she finally freed herself, her body shivered at the sudden lost of warmth. Hastily, she gathered all of her clothes off the floor and threw them on, not minding that she looked thoroughly shagged, before bounding out of the room.

She called her secretary, saying that she was coming in a couple of hours. He said yes, and that Renge Hoshakuji had a message for her.

Haruhi's eyes narrowed.

Renge had a lot of explaining to do.

**To Be Continued **

**A/N: **A new series has started. You guys must be sick of me posting up new stories, leaving you hanging, not updating for a while, and then concentrating on other stories instead. This just wouldn't leave my brain, and I was losing focus in work over this. I never lose focus in work. I'm that kind of workaholic. It just HAD to be written. I lost sleep over this thing. Hope you guys liked it, if so, please let me know. And if not, let me know as well. Thank you very much.

**Disclaimer: **Kyoya gave Haruhi and me one question (Where is Mars located?) to determine ownership over him. Kyoya must have known that I wasn't good in Geography.


	2. Chapter 2

-1**2/?**

There were many instances in Haruhi's life wherein she felt that she was undoubtedly blessed--and undeniably cursed. She had ranked them in order of importance, and so far, she only had three. The third and last one being able to come to Ouran on a scholarship: she was closer to her goal in chasing after her mother's memory, got free education, yet was also exposed to the snobbery of the wealthy (case in point: Lady Ayanokoji). The second one was coming into the Third Music Room: she broke a vase, got eight million yen in debts, but earned friends that she would treasure for a lifetime.

Topping her list was that night. The night that her child was conceived. She knew that it was the happiest moment of her life, more so when she achieved everything she had hoped for when she was a child. She finally had something concrete to hold her mother's memory with when she became a lawyer--she was living the life she knew her mother would take pride in, but having a child was different.

It didn't matter that it was Kyoya who fathered her child. Kyoya, who was the last person in the world she would consider siring anything from her, gave her a most precious gift unknowingly. But it happened. She didn't know if it was comeuppance or just plain bad luck yet in the end it failed to bother her anymore. Yet deep in her heart, though Kyoya would never know of it, she was eternally grateful to him and resolved that maybe someday, she could do something for him to pay him back. Of course, if the child came out as his spitting image, she supposed she could make an excuse for it. Pushing those kind of thoughts out of her mind, she decided to just tackle those problems when they actually happen.

Renge, of course, was another matter in her agenda. As soon as Haruhi came back to Tokyo from Karuizawa, she stomped her way to the Hoshakuji's office, shouting a mile a minute. For once, it was Renge who was doing the calming and after some tea, they resolved matters and chalked it down to misfortune and unforeseeable circumstances. Nobody was really at fault, and if that night made something, then everyone wins, right?

Except that time they didn't know how far things would spiral out of control.

Haruhi had always wanted a child. It was less of the loud ticking of her biological clock but more of the abject loneliness she felt every time she would come home to an empty apartment. Even her expensive, bought from the Shopping Network electric blanket couldn't stave off the cold emptiness of her bed at night.

However, she never wanted to get married. It wasn't part of the plan. So she settled for having a child. It was less messier that way. She won't be a genetic dead-end. Granted, her method wasn't something both of her parents would approve and that Ranka raised hell when he learned of his daughter's situation, but it was enough for her.

For once, Haruhi felt absolutely happy. This was something more than just winning a case or getting nominated for a partnership. This job was for life, and she could tell the world that she became the most important person to somebody: her child.

Two weeks after that night, Haruhi braved the drugstore for some pregnancy test kits during her lunch break. At first, she couldn't believe the results, and thought that that little blue line was just a hallucination so she did it twice, thrice, drinking her body weight in orange juice so she could pee enough for the tests.

They were all positive.

She was going to be a mother.

And that day suddenly topped her charts.

Takeshi was the first person to know. He even had tears in his eyes as he hugged his employer as they celebrated Haruhi's pregnancy with a bottle of sparkling water. Haruhi broke the news to Renge next, who was shouting into the phone about celebrations and baby showers. Haruhi wanted to call her father yet decided that it could be reserved for another time. Ranka was in Spain, no doubt flirting with all the cute local men, so there was no need to trouble him while he enjoyed himself.

Haruhi wanted to tell him when it was all sure and she was in the clear for the pregnancy. She knew that the first two months were the hardest, and anything could cause her to miscarriage.

Bearing that in mind, she was extra careful in every move she made, going so far as to cutting her working hours so she could sleep more and be less stressed. Takeshi, of course, was behind her one hundred percent and made things easier for her.

When she was twelve weeks along and the doctors told her that she was in the clear, Haruhi left the firm, saying that she was going on a sabbatical. The senior partners were aghast at first, losing one of their more brilliant partners on such short notice, but it was better than losing her altogether should she choose to quit if they didn't agree with her terms. They knew that she was much sought after by other firms. To let her go would be career suicide on their part.

She was to stay in Misuzu's pension as caretaker while Misuzu himself went on holiday with Ranka. She was finally able to tell Ranka of her pregnancy while the man was in a cruise ship heading for Greece and the grandfather-to-be couldn't be more ecstatic. He told her that he was coming home in a heartbeat but Haruhi stopped him, reminding him that he waited his whole life for that trip around the world with his friends.

It was Misuzu who suggested that she stay in the pension and keep it open until both of them came back. Haruhi readily agreed, as it was in her plans in the first place and was relieved that she didn't have to talk them into it. Mei, who worked in Tokyo under the Hitachiin label as a junior designer, was coming to join her when Haruhi was nearing her due date.

Mei was also happy about her best friend being a mother but Haruhi told her that she was not to tell anybody in the former Host Club about it. If she did, Mei would suddenly find herself in the tabloids wearing a muumuu in public.

Mei could kiss her career in design good-bye should those pictures ever circulate.

One couldn't find a better secret-keeper than Mei at that minute.

And so, here Haruhi was, in the twenty-first week of her pregnancy, her stomach poking out of her shirt ever so slightly, her ankles swollen, her breasts tender, her bladder being used as a squeeze toy by her child, having weird food cravings…and loving every minute of it.

She knew what the boys would think should they see her now: her stomach swollen to three times its usual size and attempting to change the sheets of the bed for some guests due tonight, yet humming softly, serenely.

As she stared at her handiwork, patting her belly, she thought that she could do with a smoothie. Bananas, kiwi, orange, pineapple, apple, strawberries with a hint of tamarind sounded pretty good at that moment.

Waddling downstairs, Haruhi went immediately for the kitchen. She was alone in the huge pension as her only staff, a girl by the name of Tori, was out on an errand.

She happily made her smoothie, and was about to go out to the backyard and enjoy it when the doorbell rang. Her smoothie in one hand and the other one in her belly, she walked to the door, wondering who it should be. She was expecting the guests to come tonight, not mid-afternoon.

"Good afternoon, welcome to Misuzu's…." her cheery greeting stopped at the sight before her. Tamaki, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, Hunny, and Mori were at the front door, their arms heavy with various gifts, and smiles that died on their faces as they took in her state.

Unfortunately, the large t-shirt she took to wearing that day didn't hide the bulge she desperately wanted to shield from them.

"Haruhi," Hikaru was the first to break the silence. "What happened…." His tone was accusatory. "Who the hell did this to you?!"

Kaoru and Mori grabbed his arms as he dropped his things and lunged for her.

"Hikaru, calm down," hissed Kaoru but he stared incredulously at Haruhi all the same.

Haruhi didn't dare to look up, her hands tightly grasping her glass.

To their surprise, Tamaki cleared his throat and said in his most gentle voice, "Haruhi? May we come in? It seems that we need to talk."

Haruhi nodded dumbly and opened the door wider. Hunny took her free hand in his grasp, squeezing it gently. Haruhi shot him a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

They sat down on one of the largest circular tables in the salon. Hunny was at her side, still holding her hand, with Tamaki at the other. Mori took his seat beside Mitsukuni, then Kaoru, Hikaru, and finally Kyoya.

"Haruhi-chan?" said Hunny softly.

Haruhi gulped, sighed, and looked up, weary resignation in her face. "I guess you all want an explanation, right?" she said, trying to avoid their eyes.

"Yes, that would be appropriate," answered Hikaru bitingly. Kaoru elbowed him in the ribs but all he did was scowl in return.

"Um, this might sound a little strange, but, er, you see," Haruhi fidgeted in her seat. "It's really hard to explain, but before I tell you anything, please promise me that you won't jump into any weird conclusions or get inexplicably mad or throw me over a cliff, or disown me or whatever, because of what happened--"

It was Mori this time who stretched out his hand to grasp her shaking ones, encasing her clammy fingers in his large, warm grasp. "Haruhi, you're babbling," he said kindly. "Do you want some tea before we begin? I know you're not prepared for this, and this is something big, judging from how you've been acting." He gave her a warm smile that lifted her spirits somewhat. It was the longest she had ever heard him speak, and to know that it was all to comfort her nearly broke her down.

Haruhi shook her head, squeezing his fingers before gently tugging them free. "Thanks a lot. I'm not being a good host, am I? Would you guys like some tea or anything? I made a fruit smoothie." When nobody answered, she sighed again and took to clutching the hem of her shirt to steel her nerves.

"To put it short, I wanted a child, but the prospect of marriage didn't appeal to me, so I went for help," she began in a slightly stronger voice. The others gasped but didn't say anything. "I went to a clinic, and after going through hundred of donor registers, I found one that was perfect and had an IVF. It worked, and so here I am. I wanted to have my pregnancy somewhere out of the city so Misuzu suggested that I could take care of the pension while I have my child. I didn't tell you guys about it because I know that you'd object and try to put a stop to it.

"But this is how I want it, okay? And it's already happened so you can't do anything about it. You're my friends but I draw the line here." She crossed her arms, her old stubbornness coming back full force.

Hikaru stood up so quickly his chair toppled over with a loud bang on the hardwood floor.

"So this is the extent of our friendship, isn't it?" he said dangerously. "You know that I would do this for you in a heartbeat! If you wanted a child, why not ask me? Ask any of us? Or at least told us about it the second you confirmed your pregnancy!"

Kaoru tugged on his brother's sleeve. "Hikaru…calm down!"

Hikaru violently jerked out of Kaoru's grip. "I will not calm down! This is too much, Haruhi! Do you know…do you know how much this hurts me? You have always been so unfair, Haruhi…." His voice broke. "Fine, if that's how you want it, I won't question or bother you anymore. As you said, you are perfectly capable of doing your own decisions and as my opinion is not completely needed, I'm taking my leave." He turned around. "Good-bye, Haruhi. Oh, and congratulations. I hope you're happy with your baby," he added spitefully and went for the door, slamming it behind him.

"Such a drama queen," muttered Kaoru, also standing up. He gave Haruhi an apologetic look. "I'm going after him. Who knows what he'll do to himself." He went around to Haruhi's seat to place a consoling hand on her shoulder. "I'll come back later to check up on you, okay? We'll talk then. Later, guys."

As soon as he was out the door to catch after his twin, the others turned uneasily back to Haruhi.

"There is a perfectly good reason why I didn't ask your help," Haruhi said quietly, staring at them pointedly. "Any of yours. You guys are heirs to multi-million corporations, and I'm just a lawyer. Think of the scandal. Add to that that if I bore your child, then it means that they could be considered your heir as well. I can't have that. I want a normal life for my child, away from the world we know.

"I was planning to tell you guys when the child was born." She smiled at them through the tears welling up in her eyes. "I was actually hoping to name all of you as honorary godfathers or something." She bowed her head as sobs finally wracked her small frame and tears fell down freely on her lap.

Tamaki pulled her gently into a hug and for the first time in her life, she showed absolute weakness in front of them, succumbing to the total insecurity and fears she had been feeling since everything started. Hunny and Mori joined in the hug as well and Kyoya himself took to patting her hand. In her friends' arms, Haruhi had never felt more scared or secure in her life.

"I-I'm really sorry," she hiccupped.

"Don't be, Haruhi," said Tamaki softly. He held her at arms' length and wiped away her tears tenderly with a thumb. "If anything else, we were just shocked at first and it will take some time to get used to. Imagine, our dear Haruhi is going to be a mother." His eyes lit up in pure joy at the prospect. "And I'm going to be the grandfather!"

Tamaki shot to his feet, taking out his mobile and hastily dialling. "What the hell are doing dawdling! We must ready everything for the child! I'm calling the decorator. The child must have a nursery in each of our mansions! Then there's the baby shower…." He began making plans.

"Yes, we must prepare for the child's birth!" piped up Hunny. "The baby must have the best in everything. I want its room to be decorated in bunnies."

"And don't forget the little chicks," intoned Mori gravely yet the small smile on his face belied his excitement.

"Hold up!" yelled Haruhi, slamming her palms on the table. "This is exactly why I didn't want you guys to know! I told you that I want to distance my child from this. Listen, this is why I distanced myself. So, please, if our friendship meant anything to you, you will leave me alone now."

"I perfectly understand your concerns," said Kyoya, speaking up for the first time since they came. In her anger, Haruhi didn't notice how his eyes were strangely glossed over as he spoke. "But put yourself in our shoes. We're your friends, so imagine our concern when suddenly none of us could contact you and Ranka himself refused to divulge your whereabouts no matter what we did. No, we did not blackmail him or anything. All I'm saying is that we thought it strange that you would suddenly disappear off the face of the earth without telling us anything so we took matters into our own hands.

"Suffice to say, all we wanted to know was that you were okay so the first thing we did when we learned of your location was to visit you. And what greets us is our friend suddenly knocked up by some mysterious guy." He shot her a quelling look. "So please forgive us if, like Hikaru, we fly off the handle or suddenly plan out baby showers and the colour of the nursery."

Haruhi stared at the floor, entirely shamed. Well, if he put it that way, it sounded as if she was an uncaring bitch about her friends.

"None of us would have to act in a less than favourable manner towards you if only you had even given us a small inkling of what you were planning," added Tamaki. "you know that I love you, Haruhi, and if it would make you happy, I would have searched the globe for the most perfect father for your child. Your happiness is our top priority. Whatever you decide, we'll back you up but give us a little warning beforehand, okay?"

"Haru-chan?" asked Hunny timidly, clutching Usa-chan closer to his chest. Even at his late twenties, he still hasn't given up on his favourite toy. "Who's the father?"

Haruhi wiped her eyes. "Honestly? I don't know either. I preferred not to know, but he was genetically perfect." Her eyes lit up. "I know that he has dark hair and eyes, so my child would be dark haired and eyed as well." It was better to let them know about things this early should she slip up later on.

Haruhi stood up, a tad more happier. "Are you guys staying? I have a few guests for tonight so I only have one room free…."

Tamaki shook his head. "As much as I want to stay, I'm afraid I can't." He smiled at her sheepishly. "I actually rushed out of a meeting today when I received the call that they finally tracked you. I have to go back to do some damage control then I'll see if I can have a few days or weeks holiday to stay with you."

Haruhi smiled. He had really grown up from that stupid, carefree blond stereotype that she had labelled him so long ago. He was more responsible now, and taking more leaves out of Kyoya's book in terms of business management. His grandmother still hasn't approved of him to inherit the Suoh corporation, so he's been working extra hard in every aspect to prove his worth. And Haruhi knew that it wouldn't be long before Suoh corporation had a new President and CEO in Suoh Tamaki.

"No, I understand," she told him. "I'll be fine here. I have Tori, my assistant, and she takes good care of me. You're so close to your goal, and I'll feel bad if you fall behind work because of me." She turned to the rest of them. "That goes for all of you. I know that you all were in the middle of something today, right? So, go back home, and when everything's settled, you can come visit me but not for long, okay?"

Hunny nodded. "Takashi and I need to be in Britain right now, and if we take the private jet we just might make it. But we're coming back as soon as we can, Haruhi." A huge grin plastered on his face. "And we'll bring back loads of presents for the baby!" He promised. He gave Haruhi's stomach a gentle pat. "Make sure your Mummy takes care of you as well, okay? I know you're going to be so cute!"

Mori enveloped Haruhi in a strong hug. "Take care of yourself and the baby, Haruhi," he said lowly. Haruhi giggled and gave him a hug back.

"I promise," she said.

"Listen, you guys are taking this more easily than I expected," she told them, gratitude shining in her eyes as she led them out to their parked cars outside. "I know that I don't thank you guys enough but really, thank you."

Tamaki couldn't resist giving her another embrace and copied Hunny in patting her slightly bulging stomach. "Anytime, Haruhi. We're always here for you, remember that." He slid into his car seat and with a final wave, his car drove off.

Hunny gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek and climbed on the seat after Takashi. And they too left.

"Kyoya, what are you still doing here?" asked Haruhi, only noticing that he was still there, silently regarding her. "Don't you need to go back to Tokyo?"

There was a strange glint in his eyes as he shook his head. "No," he said solemnly. "As it is, I am not needed in the office right now." Before Haruhi could say anything, he made his way back to the pension, opening the door and holding it for her.

"But I told you that I don't need anybody's help--" said Haruhi hotly.

"Please don't be under the impression that I am doing this just for your sake," Kyoya interrupted. "I am long overdue a holiday, and this is more than a good reason for me to take a break. I have been thinking of a good place to relax and none came up. What could be more better than helping my heavily pregnant friend? Relax, Haruhi. I will not be like the others. I won't coddle you or make you do anything that you don't want.

"I believe in independence, and if that is what you want, I will not stop you. Just allow me to check up on you every now and then and we'll call it even." He gave her a small smile that made shivers run through her spine. He reached for her hand and Haruhi made no attempt to pull away. His eyes and voice was strangely hypnotic and she could not help but listen to his every word.

"I meant it when I said that I was worried about you," he said affectionately, the most compassion she was able to incite from him since ever. "Please, just allow me this. I just want to make sure that you're okay and not give the others a cause for concern."

With some difficulty, Haruhi withdrew her hands from his, so affected was she by his words. "But where will you stay?" she asked instead, not knowing what else to say.

"You said that you had an extra room here," he remarked. "I think that would suit me fine."

"But--but don't you have a house here?" She was grasping at straws now. She can't let him stay here. Him, of all people. It was as dangerous as it was stupid to do so.

"Yes, but it's a good twenty minutes drive from here," Kyoya explained. "What if you need me suddenly and I wasn't there? Now, don't give me that look. It's a perfectly legitimate point. Besides, the others would castrate me if they knew that I had a chance to look after you more closely and I didn't take it. I'd rather avoid that, thank you very much."

"W-what about your things?"

"I had Tachibana go back to Tokyo to fetch my things. He should be back in a couple of hours."

"H-How long will you be staying here?" she asked, resigned. He was one of those people she could never dissuade once they had their minds made up--a bit like her, really, in terms of sheer stubbornness anyway.

_Please don't let it be more than a few days. I'll give a big offering in the next festival, I promise, _she prayed silently.

"Hmmm…I think a couple of months should do me some good," Kyoya answered flippantly, sinking down on a chair. "I haven't taken a holiday in five years so I think I'm due that much." The smile he gave her was unreadable.

"What about your job? Aren't you the head of something? What happened to you? Are you Kyoya's evil twin?" she said exasperatedly.

_I'm not going to the shrine ever again!_

Kyoya just laughed, clearly delighted in her distress.

"Eager to kick me out, aren't we Haruhi?" he said suavely. And damn Haruhi if his rich tone didn't make her knees turn into jelly.

_Fuck her hormones!_

"I left my company in more than capable hands," he answered. "My brothers were more than willing to take the reins from me for a bit. Besides, what's the use of e-mail and phones? I'm sure my company would thrive without my personal presence in there, so never fear."

"No, you couldn't be Kyoya's evil twin," Haruhi decided. "The Kyoya I know is absolutely evil. You're just as evil, too, so you can't be the good one. Damn, you're just plain evil, aren't you?"

Kyoya chuckled again, and went to her to give her a one-armed hug. Being this close reminded Haruhi of that intimate night that they shared. He had no idea how his mere proximity was affecting her. It was as if she was being treated to a flashback of every touch, caress, and kiss that he had bestowed upon her trembling body as they did it. The feel of his warmth against her skin invoked the slightest of shudders on her frail frame.

She pushed him away quickly, as if burned.

Did he know just how much power he held over her at this minute? Damn him, damn him all to hell!

"I-I'll lead you to your room," said Haruhi, trying to calm down her racing heart.

"No," he said, plopping back in his chair. "I want to stay here." He shot her a grin as if immensely smug about something. How could he know anything?

"How about some of that smoothie that you mentioned?"

--

Haruhi tossed and turned in her bed, the need for rest escaping her completely. She was completely thrown out of the loop at Kyoya's sudden decision to stay and help her for a few months during her pregnancy.

It disturbed her greatly for Kyoya wasn't usually this way. He wasn't exactly her best friend back then, and now that they were adults and leading their own lives, he was the one she had the least contact with. So why the sudden worry over her that he was willing to put his work aside? It was Kyoya there talking about. The super workaholic Kyoya who couldn't be removed from his desk unless there was anything threatening his life or his work that he needed to leave his precious laptop alone? She bet that he types e-mails with one hand while he took a piss with the other.

There was one possibility that crossed her mind. In the off-chance that he even knew that it was his child she was carrying, why couldn't he just say so in the first place? She half-expected him to go all caveman and insist strongly that she go back to Tokyo, marry him (she she could be made an honest woman or something or avoid scandal--God know that he couldn't afford any scandal, Haruhi thought sarcastically), and be his lifetime baby machine.

That sounded more like Kyoya in all honesty.

But he couldn't know. Haruhi covered all her tracks. She made sure that she didn't leave anything that might point her as his partner that night.

Yet she was in such a hurry to get away that time. What if she missed something?

Bile threatened to rise in her throat, and she got to her feet quickly and made for the toilet adjoining her room.

She heaved quite pathetically, her hair which she had long decided to grow out was hanging, also getting puked on. She held her stomach as she vomited its contents, her body racking with every heave.

She didn't notice when somebody came in and held her hair away from her, and gently rubbed circles on her back which greatly helped her to calm down.

"There, there, Haruhi," said a familiar deep voice. "You gave me quite a fright there."

Haruhi scrambled away even though she wanted to puke more.

"W-What are you doing here?" she demanded, wincing when her back hit the tub brutally.

Kyoya gave her a displeased frown. "I just wanted to ask whether I could use the kitchen to make some coffee. I have some work undone that my secretary e-mailed me so I wanted to stay up for it. Then I find you throwing your lungs out. Are you okay?"

Haruhi calmed down somewhat yet she kept her guard around him. "Y-yeah. Sort of. I feel as if I just puked out all my guts. I thought it was called morning sickness for a reason," she grumbled.

He stood up, mumbling to himself and shuffled around the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" she asked finally.

Kyoya handed her a wet flannel. "Go clean yourself up. There's sick all over you. I suggest that you clean your hair as well unless eau de vomit is one of your favourite odours." He went for the door. "Do you want some tea? That could calm down your stomach I hear."

Haruhi waved her hand. "No, no, I should be fine. You are free to use the kitchen as you wish, as long as you know what you're doing. I won't wake up Tori just so she could make coffee for you."

When he didn't move from his spot at the doorway, she rolled her eyes. "Really, I'm okay. No need to go all mother-hen on me. I'll just wash up and go back to bed. I promise," she added as an afterthought.

It seemed to satisfy him somewhat as he shrugged carelessly.

"Fine, good night, Haruhi," he said monotonously and without waiting for her reply, he padded out of her room, closing the door softly.

Haruhi leaned her head back on the tub.

This could be an unbearable few months to look forward to.

--

When Haruhi came down the next morning, she was greeted with the most delicious smells wafting from the kitchen. Assuming that it was Tori who was doing the breakfast early. She glanced at the clock. The guests had arrived all right last night, but they weren't due breakfast for three more hours.

So what was her assistant doing?

But it wasn't just Tori to greet her in the kitchen. Kyoya was also there, flipping pancakes on the stove while the diminutive assistant chopped the potatoes for hash browns. They were talking quite lively and for once, Kyoya wasn't speaking to anybody in a condescending manner.

For some reason, it brought a sharp twinge in Haruhi's heart but she ignored it.

"I see we're bright and early this morning," Haruhi said dryly as she slid into a stool in the counter.

"Haruhi! Good morning!" greeted Tori enthusiastically.

"Good morning," said Kyoya, though considerably lower in decibel.

"'Morning," Haruhi grunted back.

"Are you okay?" asked Tori, noticing the sour look on her employer's face.

Haruhi growled. "This baby woke me up quite a few times last night, as if my bladder were a bleeping squeeze toy, then I had to throw up again this morning as if my stomach wasn't empty enough."

"That sounds harsh," shuddered Tori.

"Get pregnant and let's see how harsh things are," grumbled Haruhi though not as callous as she wanted.

A mug of tea was placed in front of her and she looked up to see Kyoya observing her quite closely. "This is a special tea that should help you in the morning sickness and all." He then brought a plate stacked with pancakes to her. "Eat up. I didn't put in any syrup because I know that you don't like sweets, but I spread a bit of butter in it the way you like them."

Haruhi looked down at her plate, where three perfect golden brown pancakes sat along with a side of neatly halved strawberries and blueberries.

"You can cook?" Haruhi asked dumbly.

"Yeah!" answered Tori. "He was really excellent in the kitchen! You should have seen him!" She batted her eyelashes at the man in a flirting manner but just made her look as if she had an eye condition.

Kyoya laughed, patting Tori's shoulder. "True, but you were also an excellent helper."

Haruhi's mood, if possible, soured even more and she stabbed at her food with her fork with more force than necessary, tearing out a huge piece and stuffing it in her mouth, grumbling around the sweet, fluffy goodness.

Damn Kyoya but this was better than what she ever had in her whole life. It was better than hers! Where the hell did he learn to cook like this? It was so unfair! He was rich, drop dead gorgeous, chased by women (and men), and now he could cook?

"How is it?" inquired Kyoya and if Haruhi were only observing him more, she would note the slight apprehension in his face.

"Good," she mumbled, looking at anywhere but the both of them lest she use her knife as a dart and hurl it straight at Tori's disgustingly fluttering eyes.

Revolted at herself for feeling this way, Haruhi gulped down some of the hot tea and stood up.

"Wait, you're not going to finish your food?" said Kyoya as he watched her retreat upstairs, presumably to her room.

"No, this baby suddenly felt the need to vomit," said Haruhi though she knew that it wasn't all due to her morning sickness that she actually felt sick.

Kyoya could only stare after her as he pondered what had gone wrong. For the first time in his life, he was at a complete loss.

But she shrugged it off and went back to the kitchen for his breakfast.

Must be what they call mood swings, he mused as he drank his coffee and tried to ignore Tori's not-so-subtle flirting.

--

Haruhi locked herself in her bathroom, intent on regurgitating whatever little she had ingested a while ago.

She knew she had no right, but why did she feel so wretched when she saw Kyoya flirt with Tori back?

But as another wave of nausea hit her and her head disappeared back under the tub, she forgot to tell Renge that Kyoya was staying with her.

**To Be Continued**

--

**Omake:**

Kyoya looked around the kitchen, looking for something to cook for Haruhi for breakfast. Yes, that should cheer her up.

He grabbed the cookbook, and after the fifth failed attempt at what was supposed to be pancakes, he was near giving up when he noticed a box on the shelf.

_Betty Crocker Pancake Mix. Just add water!_

The gleam in Kyoya's eyes could have scared demons that morning.

**Preview:**

"I'm taking you with me to Tokyo. No arguments. Pack up your things so we can leave immediately."

"And what makes you think that I'll do anything you say?"

The smirk he gave her was predatory and more than a little scary.

"I know something you don't, my dear Haruhi," he replied in his most suave tone.

--

**A/N: **Like it? Hate it? Wanna fold it to make paper cranes? Please do tell. This chapter sucks because I didn't have anyone to beta it for me as I cannot trouble any of my betas any more. Even I have a heart, though it's small, and ice-like and black. I still hope that you guys liked it though. I couldn't believe it when so many people put this under their story alerts and favourites and reviewed--and at just one chapter out too! You guys really made my day! I didn't expect it to be received this well. So, as a thank you, I worked hard to give you this chapter and not make you guys wait any longer. You guys really rock!

**Disclaimer: **I had men in white coats chase after me when I insisted that I own Kyoya. Then they put me in this soft, white room with the nice, bouncy walls and floors. What? It's naptime? What are you doing with that nee……sdfffffffffffffffffffff


	3. Chapter 3

Beta by **dark mirth**. She makes this story readable, baby! XD

**3/?**

Kyoya is a very intelligent person.

He graduated from the Ouran Institute's High School division with the top honours, ditto for University. He also received his MBA from Harvard University, and for once, his father was there as he accepted it at the podium. He managed to inherit the Ootori zaibatsu at the tender age of twenty-eight, and three years later, has taken it further than his father had ever dreamed.

He had never seen his father so proud.

But Kyoya knew that it wasn't what he really wanted for himself after all.

Maybe it was some form of rebellion on Kyoya's part, to do what his father had been pushing him to do all these years, and then watch it blow up in his face in the end. But Kyoya resisted the urge to do that. He took the intelligent way out of it.

He proved himself better than his father instead.

Kyoya liked puzzles; challenges, he claimed, helped keep the brain growing. So he let himself indulge in them from time to time. The harder, the better. He supposed that it all stemmed from his long-lived love for mystery books, starting with the Hardy Boys that his brother had passed on to him (to help with his English, Akira had claimed) and he even went through Nancy Drew though it was a secret that he would take to his grave.

His great intellect allowed him to solve most mysteries within twenty-four hours. More than that and he would consider it quite unsolvable or decide that it was time to bring out the big guns--i.e. mobilize his large network until he got what he wanted.

So Kyoya did the latter for his latest, greatest conundrum.

And what he found shocked him to his bones.

When Haruhi opened the door that fateful morning, Kyoya was expecting something else. More along the lines that she was dying and what she did was a last request of sorts.

He certainly wasn't prepared to see her like that--pregnant.

And he was ninety percent sure that it was his.

Kyoya never knew that it was her when he took her that night. He thought that she was just some whore the twins had delivered for his enjoyment. So he let himself go, let himself fantasize that it was actually somebody he cared about in his arms and not a faceless, nameless bimbo picked up off the streets.

He wasn't really surprised when he woke up in the morning and saw that she wasn't there. Her spot on the bed was cold, so she had gone long before he awakened to the sunlight filtering through the dark curtains. He figured that she thought that she had done her job already and she was not needed anymore.

He continued to lay on the bed, unable to help himself from recapping what had happened the night before. He had had sex before, but that had been…that had been simply amazing. He'd gone so far as to rate it as the best he'd ever had.

Despite the risk of sounding lewd, she had been his first virgin as well.

Now that, he found weird. He had never employed prostitutes before, so he was unsure of what really happened during paid sex. From the books he'd read, it was supposed to be a 'Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am' situation. But it hadn't been like that. And as someone who wanted to make her living selling her body, shouldn't she have acted more docile towards him? Like, obey his every whim and fantasy?

She had fought against him valiantly, and threatened to go when he dared tease her.

However, that one Kyoya chalked up to nervousness.

There were a lot of contradictions in her nature, so Kyoya just sighed and decided that coffee was his biggest need at the moment. After that was taken care of he could continue to psychoanalyze his one-night-stand.

After two fortifying cups of coffee, a bran muffin, and thirty minutes on the treadmill, Kyoya pronounced himself fully awake and ready for the world. The first thing he did after a nice hot shower was to open his laptop and check for new e-mails concerning his business. He had fifty new messages the last hour alone and he began to sort out which were trash and which were worthy of his time and attention.

He hadn't gotten far, just about the hundred and twentieth, when his mobile vibrated in his pocket.

"Ootori here," he said.

"Where the hell are you?" boomed the voice of his secretary, Azusa. She was a real spitfire, and never quelled under any type of pressure, even under his glare. She was his right and left hand, always there when he needed her. She had never made a mistake before and Kyoya felt justified paying her at least double what he paid his own executives. In all truth, without her, he'd still be swimming in files and administrative shit he didn't particularly care for.

"Um, hiding from the clutches of an evil witch?" said Kyoya sardonically, typing out the first document that needed doing, "Will you please help me from my ivory tower?"

"Ootori Kyoya!" screamed the fifty four-year-old from the other line. She was the only person in the whole world who could get away with screaming at Kyoya. Even his father had never yelled at him before. She acted like a mother hen around him, but that was only because she claimed that Kyoya could be trusted to run a billion-dollar company but could not be trusted to look after himself.

Of course, it didn't help Kyoya that Azusa's children were all grown up and had left the nest, leaving the woman without anybody to take care of. Nevertheless, Kyoya would always be grateful to her, no matter how much he protested against her maternal attentions.

"Will you tell me where in nine hells you took off to?"

"I think I just passed the seventh gate," replied Kyoya seriously, "So let's talk while we can. They said that there's no reception on the ninth."

The woman sighed on the other end. "You're avoiding the issue. And anyway, that bird is gone; I took care of it."

Kyoya suddenly felt sorry for Anne--who knows what Azusa had done to make her leave?

"What did you do? Wait, you know what, I don't really want to know." Kyoya shook his head and turned back most of his attention to his spreadsheets.

"Like you really care," scoffed Azusa, "Anyway, I need you to go over the Ibarashi deal, and look closely at sections five and seventy-three. They think they can skirt over those loopholes? Well, they haven't met me!"

"Yes, the world of business is shaking in their Gucci loafers at that announcement."

"Shut up, you ingrate. Sarcasm does not suit you. When will you come back?" she snapped, clearly irritated. Hadn't the woman gone through menopause already?

"By tonight, if you really are sure that Anne is gone. Goodness knows I can't face more of her harping about us getting married. We had a one-night stand; I was drunk; she was baked. And she expected a relationship to blossom out of that? What is she, Merlin?" His voice was more than incredulous and slightly disdainful.

"It was your fault. I told you to lay off the scotch. Then get a good girl who can stand being in your presence for more than five minutes without bursting into tears, marry her, and have her squeeze out a couple of kids so she's tied to you forever." Kyoya could hear Azusa stomping along what he could only envision as the corridors of his office building, her sensible heels making soft clacking noises against the marble.

"And this comes from the formidable lady who literally kicked her husband to the curb when he, as she claims it, became a 'huge, fat, lazy slob of no use'. Great advice, really." Kyoya wanted to get back to his work, really, and not waste any more time with the seemingly pointless conversation. What did Azusa really want?

"Well, that bastard deserved it. I was heavily pregnant, and his only concern was when he'd get his next beer. He made a severely hormonal woman pissed. Now he's faced the consequences." She paused. "I have an idea, why not try Haruhi? She's nice; she's a top barrister, and unattached as far as I know." She sounded eager--too eager.

"Azusa, please stop it. I don't need a woman right now. And Haruhi is the last one I'd ever consider dating outside of a friendly lunch. I am hurt, though, that you think no woman can stand me. I _was_ a host in high school, you know. I'm still quite good at it. How do you think I managed to pull off the Kaiser deal?" He saved the document he finished and moved on to a new one, trying to think on how he could possibly write off his absence to his father.

"Please. The girl was drugged most of the time. Couldn't tell the difference between a man and a monkey. As long as it could screw her, she was game…did you even screw her? Oh, and I almost forgot, your father is searching for you, asking if you're meeting him for that luncheon with the Yamanaka group."

"How vulgar. No, I did not. I just got her to ask Daddy as sweetly as she could to sign the documents. That's all. I'm not interested in getting any STDs, thank you very much. And yes, I'll be coming, please tell my father that."

"Well, better get home, then. There's only so much more I can do to hold off the fire before it starts on the rest of the forest."

But when Kyoya put down the phone, a thoughtful look spread across his face.

Maybe he could find a roundabout way to know about the girl, without asking the twins about it.

A few hours later, when he was preparing to go back to Tokyo, he did a final check of the house to see if he had left anything.

Wedged on the side of the cushion of the armchair in his room was a crumpled piece of paper, a receipt to be precise.

It was for a bottle of water and a pack of seaweed biscuits.

It was dated the day before, and paid for by card.

By one Fujioka Haruhi.

He had slept with Haruhi last night.

He had made love to Haruhi three times.

He had thought Haruhi was a hooker.

He had liked pounding Haruhi to the mattress.

The reality of what he just discovered came crashing to his head like a truck.

Kyoya nearly fainted.

And he had wanted to sleep with Haruhi again.

_Tamaki is gutting me alive_, he thought with slight annoyance.

--

Kyoya had Haruhi monitored for days after that, and after two days, he was familiar with her routine. She would leave her apartment at precisely seven a.m. for her office in the greater Tokyo area, and wouldn't go home until late—sometimes not at all. She would sometimes pick up some takeaway or cook at home, or most of the time forgo eating and just sleep. She rarely had days off, and if she did, she would still be holed up at home with her case files.

She was even more of a workaholic than he, he had realized with an amused smile.

However, her activities changed drastically after a few weeks. She had been acting more carefully. Instead of the brisk power-walking she naturally used, especially when running after the next train, she had begun walking slowly, carefully, and even taken the time to wake up earlier than usual. Her work decreased, and she was eating healthier. No more of those fatty takeaways--she regularly cooked her own meals.

At first, Kyoya thought that she must have had some scare about her health, and, after a month of having her monitored, he withdrew, thinking with the tiniest disappointment that she didn't even know that it was him with whom she had slept.

So why did she sleep with him? She had mentioned something about it being 'his' job, whoever she thought 'him' to be. That brought fresh questions to Kyoya's mind.

Who was she expecting 'him' to be? He didn't care for Haruhi enough (or in that way) to be jealous about with whom she should be sleeping. But he did wonder--a lot. She was a precious friend, and he was rather worried that Haruhi would set herself up like that.

She wasn't drunk, and certainly not under the influence of anything.

It was one question that Kyoya, for all his brilliance, could not answer.

He got his answer, though, when he learned of Haruhi's absence more than a week after she had asked for a sabbatical from her bosses. Kyoya naturally kept tabs on all members of the defunct Host Club--especially Haruhi as he found it easy to sell her information to the other members--but it was surprising that he had learned of it that late. His network reached long and deep, in a manner of speaking, and there was nary a thing in the world he could not learn about in a matter of seconds should he care for the information.

It seemed that there was something way more at work here.

Kyoya researched, and found that Haruhi was staying in Misuzu's pension as the temporary caretaker. He breathed a sigh of relief, and resolved to keep at least a week's report on her current situation.

However, after a few months, Tamaki, Hunny, Mori, Hikaru and Kaoru all contacted him. They could not get in touch with Haruhi.

He was surprised, and talked to his man in Karuizawa. He said that nothing had changed with Fujioka--and yeah, she appears to be gaining weight.

Unable to keep his curiosity in check, he opted to call all the other members to make a surprise visit to Haruhi. He could not visit her alone. It was strange and she would most likely think that he was up to something.

And when Haruhi opened that door, he nearly fainted. He saw the swollen ankles, the distinct 'mask of pregnancy', the drawn look on her face, and the roundedness of her belly.

_She was fucking **pregnant**._

He was so surprised, there were different emotions rushing through his head faster than he could process them. He barely even reacted when Hikaru threw that hissy fit and ran off. He only deemed himself calm enough to speak rationally when Haruhi was throwing them out.

Nevertheless, the only lingering thought in his brain was that Haruhi's child was probably his. True, he had only slept with her for one night, but what were the chances of Haruhi sleeping with another man after that? His spy never reported anything of her going out with other men. She had had lunch and dinner dates but it was with clients and her gay secretary and nothing more.

The child was his. He was so sure of it.

He was going to be a father.

And Kyoya knew that he had never been happier.

--

"Haruhi, we're out of cinnamon sticks," said Kyoya one afternoon as he rummaged through the kitchen cupboards.

Haruhi raised an eyebrow at her new tenant.

"What do you need cinnamon for?" she asked.

"I want some of it in my hot chocolate," he explained, pointing at a cup of steaming hot cocoa.

Haruhi had to wonder at that. Kyoya and chocolate didn't go together. Then her hormonal mind brought up an image of Kyoya and chocolate going very well together. She blushed to the roots of her hair and banished the thought, trying to keep her emotions in check.

It was only the hormones speaking, after all. She certainly did not lust after Ootori Kyoya. Nope, it was downright impossible.

_His fingers tracing patterns on her skin as his hot mouth pressed delicate kisses on her body…. _

Damn, she was even replaying their night together in her head!

She clutched the side of the counter to regain her balance as she breathed heavily through her nose.

"Haruhi?" asked Kyoya, clearly concerned. It was strange that she would just blank out like that and then look as if she were hyperventilating.

Crap, the baby!

"Haruhi, is something wrong? Is the baby okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?" He was getting flustered and his cool mask was slowly slipping off. He was about to reach for the phone in his pocket to call for a taxi when Haruhi stopped him.

"No, no, I'm fine," she said, sitting down on a stool, her face still red. "Just having some hot flashes, that's all." She finally looked up at him. "If you need cinnamon, wait a minute. I'm going to the grocery anyway and picking up some more stuff."

"I'm coming with you," Kyoya responded automatically.

"What? No need. I can take care of everything by myself and I won't be that long." She brushed off some imaginary dust from her shorts and stood up, clearly dismissing the offer.

"No, I insist. I can even carry your things for you." He noticed her silent distress.

"Look, I'm going to the town anyway. I ran out of some of my necessities." He smiled. "Of course, my services don't exactly come free, and as your chaperone, I think I'm due some compensation."

"I never--"

"But, just this once, I'm willing to make an exception," he cut her off, still smiling. He pulled her to her feet and she scowled at him. "Go on, get dressed and I'll meet you outside in five minutes."

Haruhi didn't really protest when he pushed her to the stairs so she could change from the baggy t-shirt she was wearing.

"Freaking manipulator…" she hissed which did not go unnoticed by him.

He just smiled.

--

Haruhi chose to wear a baby blue soft cotton blouse that left a lot of room for her bulging belly, paired with cream cotton trousers and cloth slippers. Her face was carefully made up but with minimal cosmetics: just a hint of eye-shadow and lip gloss. She had always been mistaken for younger than her age, and it wouldn't do for her to go trouncing around the town square looking like a pregnant teenager.

Kyoya was waiting for her on the front porch, looking very smart casual in his cream pants and blue shirt. Haruhi had to laugh at how similar their clothes were. It was as if they were in 'his and hers' mode.

Kyoya looked at her strangely, wondering what she was sniggering about. Then he realized their clothing matched.

"What an odd coincidence," he just said, "I'll go and change."

Haruhi grabbed his arm before he could go back inside.

"No," she said, choking on her laughter, "This is actually quite amusing." She pulled him outside the white picket fence and into the road. They walked their way to the square and Haruhi let go of his arm.

"Amusing?" asked Kyoya, "How so?"

"Well, when I first came here, I wasn't as horribly, er, showing as I am now," she explained, "So I was able to hide my pregnancy really well. Then I started to show a few weeks ago, and tongues started to wag." She rolled her eyes. "They asked who the father was and everything."

Kyoya's heart thumped in his chest. "Who did you say was the father?"

The smile on Haruhi's face faltered. "Um, I told them that I had a boyfriend and we were supposed to get married. But I found out that he was having an affair with another girl. I broke it off days before I discovered that I was pregnant. Unwilling to go through more emotional trauma, I escaped here and planned to deliver my baby and then just live quietly without the father knowing anything."

She grinned at his dumbstruck expression. "They were pretty sympathetic about my plight after that. I received lots of gifts from my neighbours and some would come to the pension just to check up on me. They were pretty nice."

"All I can say is that if you ever think of leaving your old job, you could work as a writer," said Kyoya. "You certainly have the imagination for it."

Haruhi giggled. "I just stole it from some of the romance manga Renge's been pressing me to read since forever."

Kyoya shook his head. "Well, at least you're saved from the wrath of the insatiable gossips here."

They arrived at the town square, where Haruhi was greeted by some of the store keepers as they walked past different shops.

The trip to the grocery was short, as they only needed a few things including some cinnamon for Kyoya.

At Kyoya's request, they also made for the bookstore, where he bought several different novels--all from the crime category--while Haruhi picked up some more baby books. One thick book, however, got Kyoya's attention.

"Baby names?" he asked.

Haruhi nodded. "I'm compiling a list of some of the names I want and it's still pretty short."

"You don't know the baby's gender? Haven't you had an ultrasound yet?"

"Yes, I had one a few weeks ago, but just to check if it's healthy and all. I refused to know whether it was a boy or girl. I actually want to be surprised about it."

"That's nice," he said, shrugging off the disappointment in his chest. He dearly wanted to just drop the ignorant act and shout to the whole town that it was his baby in Haruhi's belly and demand that he be consulted about the baby's name as well.

But it wasn't time yet. There were other things he needed to do first.

They paid for their books, Kyoya carrying most of their items with him. Haruhi nearly argued but there was a glint in his eyes that brooked no room for argument. So she just sighed and let him go on with his machismo act.

When they were about to go home, a lady stopped Haruhi in the middle of the street.

"Hello, my dear," greeted the old woman, nodding at her happily, "How are you?"

"Very well, thank you Mrs. Nagasaki," answered Haruhi politely, "How about you?"

"I'm doing well as well, thank you for asking," said Mrs. Nagasaki, nodding her head to Haruhi's stomach, "How far are you along now?"

"Five months, and I'm still getting morning sickness," Haruhi lightly complained.

Mrs. Nagasaki nodded.

"It comes and goes dear, just be patient." She looked up at Kyoya. "Oh my, are you the father of her child?"

Kyoya's eyes widened but he dared not react more. Haruhi, however, seemed to choke on air.

"No, no," she protested a bit too strongly, "He's just a friend who's been visiting and helping me a lot with the pension. That's all."

But as the two ladies chatted on, neither noticed the dark look that passed over Kyoya's face.

--

"Kyoya, when did you start liking sweets?" asked Haruhi as she watched the man prepare himself a fresh cup now that he had his precious cinnamon to go with it.

"I never did," he replied, though his tone was curt. Haruhi had to wonder at that. Did something piss him off when she wasn't looking?

Haruhi leaned back on her seat, rubbing her belly. "Still, I never pegged you as the type to drink stuff like that."

Kyoya set down a cup in front of her. It was a thick, dark concoction with white foam on top, sprinkled with cinnamon and cocoa powder.

"Try it. I know refined sugar is bad for the baby, but there's not a lot of it in there," he explained as he took the seat beside her with his own cup of cocoa.

Haruhi took a sip and was surprised. It wasn't at all sweet, and instead was dark and rich. The cinnamon gave it its light, earthy sweetness and before she knew it, Haruhi was gulping down the drink. Thankfully, it was just the right temperature or she might have burned her tongue lapping it down.

"I see that you like it," said Kyoya dryly.

Haruhi smiled at him. "Best one I've ever had."

"I'm glad." He took a sip of his own as well.

Haruhi frowned at her empty cup. "We should have had cake with this."

"Oh? What cake would you like with it?"

"Hmm…something not too sweet. Like a carrot cake or a spiced cake."

A peaceful silence settled over them as they enjoyed their drinks.

"Haruhi," said Kyoya slowly, as if hesitating, "If you don't mind…would you tell me why you wanted to have a baby?" The question had been nagging at him for days now, and damn it all to hell if he didn't have it answered soon before it exploded in his head.

Haruhi was taken aback by the question. Kyoya was a nosy person, but she thought that he at least had the grace to back out of personal stuff like this. She snorted mentally. This was Kyoya. What was she thinking? Butting into other people's business was his business. He's a bastard to whom gossip columnists would die to be connected.

She heaved a huge sigh and looked out of the French windows, directing her gaze to the backyard. "It's just that…I'm pushing thirty, Kyoya, and I still haven't married, much less have a boyfriend. I'm lonely, I guess, and now that I have this child, I won't be so alone anymore."

Kyoya stared at her wide-eyed, unable to believe the sadness and heartbreak in her voice beneath the joy she tried to convey.

She and Kyoya were the same….

"What are you talking about?" said Kyoya, "Men are falling for you left and right: case in point Hikaru, Tamaki, and for a short while, Kaoru not to mention the numerous advances from your colleagues and clients. Now, Haruhi, don't be so indignant. It was just a general observation. You also haven't dated since you broke things up with Tamaki. Did he do something that made you dislike men in general?" _If he did, I'll kill him! _

Haruhi shook her head. "No, it's not like that. When Tamaki and I were dating, we tried to make it work; we really did. I found that instead of actually getting over the things about him that annoy me so much, I let my irritation grow with every passing day. He was nice, and he did take care of me, but I figured that something wasn't right.

"In a sense, I was never really in love with him. Maybe I fell in love with the idea of him but when we were actually together…. So yeah, maybe that put me off men, yet it's not Tamaki's fault." She gave him a small, self-deprecating smile. "Maybe it really is just me."

Kyoya frowned. "That doesn't make sense. Granted I'm not the best authority to tell you of this, but it seems to me as if you've given up quite easily." He gave her a challenging look. "The Haruhi I know would never surrender to something as stupid as her first relationship not working out so she had to make up this stupid notion to get pregnant so she'd have a constant companion--" He was ranting and didn't care.

For fuck's sake, this was the reason that night happened? He couldn't believe nor understand it. It was insane! If she was lonely, he was there, wasn't he?

She didn't need to subject herself to this type of pain and humiliation. Though they lived in a modern society, single mothers were still looked down upon and she'd be dragging the poor child with her!

"Shut up!" Haruhi yelled, upset that he would say something like that. He was criticising her, telling her that she made a stupid mistake. She knew that, knew to the very core that she was doing something wrong, but this was what she wanted.

She needed this baby, in ways he could never understand!

"You don't know what happened and what I've gone through, so don't you dare condemn my actions and decisions! How would you know of loneliness? You have brothers and a sister there for you! My father is all I have and he's off to God knows where every time I need him!"

"That's not true! You have Mei, Tamaki, Hikaru, Kaoru, Mori, and Hunny there for you!" His voice didn't rise like hers, but she felt rather than heard the exclamation there.

Haruhi scoffed. "And where are they now? They know of my condition, what I'm going through, so why aren't they here for me?" She gave him a glare. "What about you, Kyoya? Will you be there when I need you?"

"I'm here for you, aren't I?" he said softly, the anger in his eyes abating.

"But will you be there always?" her voice was soft as well. Before she had carried his child, he would have said, "I'll think about it." or something as callous as that.

However, now, he found that he couldn't and wouldn't say that to her.

Because now, Haruhi was more than the mother of his child. He had known deep in his heart that she always had a special place in it; he had just chosen to ignore it most of the time. This time, he had the chance to have her, or drive her away, and damn it all if he lost her to somebody ever again--most of all to herself and her own insecurities.

"Haruhi," he began as honestly and sincerely as he could, "The moment that you opened that door yesterday, I--"

His phone rang loudly in his pocket before he could go any further. He pulled it out and flipped it open.

"Ootori Kyoya," he said tonelessly. He took a quick look at the pregnant woman in front of him and wasn't surprised to see her clenching and unclenching her fist in an effort to keep her murderous intention on himself in check.

"Ootori-sama!" the voice on the other end was slightly panicked, "I just got some news. It's about Miss Fujioka's father…."

Kyoya snapped to attention. He glanced at Haruhi, who was still staring at him with those hateful eyes. Not wanting her to hear any of the conversation that would surely follow, he got up and went outside to the back patio.

"What happened to Ranka-san?" he demanded.

--

Haruhi sat in her seat, wondering what had happened. First, they were enjoying some nice cocoa, then the bastard asked a stupid question…and then they fought. It was their first fight ever. Kyoya was never the type to argue like that. That bastard was as unfeeling as a brick with the EQ of wallpaper.

Nor was he the person to go and get all concerned about her as well. He was her friend, that was already established, but other than periodically trying to rescue her from (or push her into) the inanities of the other members of their little group, he had never really shown that he cared for her--at least vocally.

So she was confused. Why was he so caring all of a sudden?

Unless…_oh fucking shitty ass hell son of a bitch crap buggering __**NIBBLETS! **_(1)

He's Tamaki in disguise!

--

Kyoya slammed the French doors open, startling Haruhi out of her shocking reverie.

She stalked up to him, patting his face, twisting his nose, and even going so far as running her hands up and down his arms.

Though Kyoya would not admit even under torture that he was silently enjoying the physical contact with Haruhi, confusing as it was, there were more pressing matters to which to attend.

"What the hell are you doing, Haruhi?" He grabbed her hands away from his face.

"Just checking to see if you are Kyoya and not some idiot in disguise," she explained calmly.

"I refuse to acknowledge that stupidity," he said, trying not to roll his eyes. He stared at her seriously. "I'm taking you with me to Tokyo. No arguments. Pack up your things so we can leave immediately."

"And what makes you think that I'll do anything you say?" She pulled her hands away, ready to stomp off. She was still pissed at him.

The smirk he gave her was predatory and more than a little scary.

"I know something you don't, my dear Haruhi," he replied in his most suave tone. He then sighed. It wasn't the time to be so freaking glib! This was an emergency!

"Haruhi, this is important, and I hate to tell you about this, but please stay calm." He took her arm and had her sit on one of the wicker chairs in the kitchen table. He sat beside her. "I got a call from a friend. He's the coordinator of the tour that Ranka-san and Misuzu-san are in. It seems that Ranka-san had an accident while in Germany. He was hit by a car and nearly killed. He's in the hospital now, and I made sure only the best doctors are caring for him."

Haruhi panicked: her breathing grew heavy, her heart beat wildly, and she was shaking. Kyoya hesitantly held her clammy hand in his, squeezing it in reassurance.

"He's stabilized and is in the ICU," he said softly, trying to inject some confidence and comfort in his voice for her sake, "I just contacted my company and we're sending an airplane there so Ranka can be transferred to one of my hospitals in Tokyo." Still, Haruhi was trembling, and her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out.

Unable to help himself, Kyoya enveloped her in his arms, rubbing her back soothingly and it was then that Haruhi released the floodgates.

"Dad…" she sobbed, soaking his shirt.

"Shh…calm down, stop crying," he soothed, running his hand down her back awkwardly. He had never done this whole "comforting a hormonal and worried to death pregnant woman" thing, but this was the mother of his child. He had to at least try. "He'll be okay. I told you, he'll only get the best possible care." He held her at arm's length and gently wiped away the tears in her cheeks with a tender thumb.

"And since it's you, I'll give you a forty percent discount on the hospital bills, what do you say?" he added as an afterthought.

"Kyoya!" growled Haruhi warningly, not knowing whether he was kidding or not.

But deep inside the turmoil of anxiety for her father's injuries, Haruhi had another thing to think about.

She didn't want to go back to Tokyo.

--

**To Be Continued**

--

**Omake:**

They were passing by the baby clothes shop, when Haruhi squealed at the sheer cuteness of a pink dress displayed in the window. It was made of a silky material and had a cute velvet bow in a darker pink colour than the rest of the dress.

"Hey, look at that, Kyoya!" she said excitedly, pulling at his sleeve, "Wouldn't that look cute on my baby?"

"Well, if your baby is a girl," agreed Kyoya, "But if it's a boy and you still decide for him to wear that…Ranka-san has someone to follow in his footsteps after all. Just tell him that even though he chooses to be a tranny, he will still be the seme in the relationship, okay?" _I cannot have my potential heir be an uke! We Ootoris are the seme!_

"Shut up!" said Haruhi, giggling at his unprecedented sense of humour, "Don't jinx my baby! I'll die if it was a boy and he started to want dresses instead of trousers!"

But as they walked along, Kyoya had a feeling of a strange déjà vu.

Back in Tokyo, Fuyumi giggled as she perused their old family albums, in particular the shot of a one-year-old Kyoya modelling a pink silk dress with a velvet bow. She could still remember the hell Yoshio raised that day.

Thank goodness though, that Kyoya grew tired of dresses when he turned three.

**Preview:**

"Where am I?" asked Haruhi groggily, sitting up on the unfamiliar bed. She fingered the black silk sheets, revelling in its sheer luxury and comfort.

"In my apartment," answered Kyoya from nearby. He was sitting on an armchair, reading a newspaper. He put down the reading material and sat beside her on the bed.

"Oh, I see." She made to get out of the bed. "I'm going home. Thanks for taking care of me."

"Nope," said Kyoya simply, holding her hand fast, "You're staying here in the condo until I say so."

Haruhi glowered. "Like I'll do anything you say! You can't order me around!"

Kyoya cupped her cheek. "Then what do I need to do for you to listen to me?"

--

**A/N: **Sorry for the late update. As always, thank you for the very nice reviews and encouragements that I've been getting for this story. Thank you as well to the many readers, and though they do not leave a comment, at least they took the time to take a look. J You guys so rock!

On another note, I forgot to mention this, but one of my other stories, Miscalculation, is actually a side-story to this fic. I already have the second part ready, but I decided not to post it because there are too many spoilers for this fic. So I won't be updating that. :giggles: At least not for a while.

(1) I am ashamed to admit this, but my sister forced me to watch Hannah Montana, specifically the one with the Jonas Brothers in it, and I have been listening to the track Video Girl by the JB since then.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Ouran, I would have Kyoya and Haruhi practically glued together 24/7 until Haruhi confesses that she wants the sheer smexiness that is Kyoya, and not the pansy Tamaki like the manga is so inclined upon!


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